Electric hand lantern



Dec.' 9, 1941.

J. c. .MjoGAN 365,6104

ELECTRIC 'HAND LANTERN Filed June 22, 1940` jl l Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES TELNT FFICE ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN John C. Morgan, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 22, 1940, Serial No. 341,855 2 claims. (Crain-10.63)

My invention relates generally to lanterns and more particularly to a portable, electrically lighted lantern that is adapted for use by railroad workers, watchman, or other persons desiring to use a lantern that is carried by a handle and the body of the lantern being mounted on a base so as to swing on a horizontal axis in order that the rays of light from the lantern may be directed at any desired angle.

The principal objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of electrically lighted hand lanterns, to provide improved means for focusing the rays of light that issue from the electric lamp within the lantern, to provide the body of the lantern with a `xed handle having portions occupying different angular planes in order that the lantern may be more conveniently carried and handled While in service, further, to provide means for storing a plurality of extra lamp bulbs within a portion of the handle or below the cap that closes the lower end of the lantern body and further, to provide simple means associated with the horizontal axis on which the body of the lantern swings to enable it to be adjusted into different angular positions and to retain such positions until further adjustments are made.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a lantern constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the lantern with parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 2A is a detail sectional view of the lower end of the tubular handleof the lantern.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view partly in section of the carrier for the extra lamp bulbs.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a detail section showing the light ray focusing means.

Fig. 8 is an elevational View of the base and lower portion of the lantern housing and showing a modified arrangement for carrying the extra electric lamps.

drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, IIJ designates a ring, preferably formed of heavy wire, and which together with a pair of spaced upright frames Il formed of wire provide the lantern base.

The upright frames II which are preferably formed of wire are of inverted V-shape and their upper ends are provided with circular loops I2 that combine to function as an axis on which the body of the lantern swings as it is adjusted from one angular position to another. The body of the lantern and which is designated by the numeral I3 is preferably formed of sheet metal, cylindrical in shape, and its open lower end is normally closed by a readily removable cap I4.

Seated in the wall of the body I3 at diametrically opposite points are headed studs I5 that pass through the loops I2 and positioned upon said studs on both sides of each loop are friction washers I6. A split resilient washer I6a is located on each stud between the inner one of the washers I6 and the wall of the body, thus providing suflicient friction between the washers I6 and the loops I2 so as to yieldingly hold the body in differently adjustedv angular positions upon the base. v

The chamber within the body I3 is adapted to receive a conventional electric battery B that may be readily obtained in the open market and one of the terminals T of said battery is positioned so as to engage a contact C that is carried by the inner end of a socket S and the latter being seated in a short tube Il that projects outwardly from body I3, preferably in the same horizontal plane with the studs I5.

Formed in the external face of tube Il is a groove I8 that extends entirely around the tube and the ends of said groove being spaced approximately an inch apart, thus giving ample range of focal adjustment.

Removably seated in the forward portion of the socket S is a conventional electric lamp L of the type utilized in lanterns of the type to which my invention relates.

A cup-shaped housing I9 has its inner surface polished or treated to'provide a reflector 20 and removably mounted on the forward end of this housing is a ring 2l that carries a conventional lens 22. Projecting rearwardly from the central portion of the reflector housing I9 is a short tube 23 that is adapted to slide and rotate on tube I'I and seated in said tube 23 is the threaded shank of a set screw 24. The inner end portion of this set screw which is reduced in diameter projects Referring by numerals to the accompanying into the groove I8 in tube I'I.

and secured to the upper end thereof is the upperl forward end of a tubular handle, preferably formed from metal. The forward portion 26 of this handle occupies a position substantiallyn parallel with the top of the body I3 and the intermediate portion 21 of the handle occupies an angular position of approximately thirty or and thus the lantern may be very conveniently carried and manipulated while in service.

While being carried as an ordinary lantern, the hand grasps the portion 26 of the handle, and while held so as to direct the rays of light upwardly or downwardly with respect to a horizontal plane, the hand may grasp the portion 21 or portion 28.

When the base frame Il) is positioned on a level surface, for instance, the ground or a floor, the body of the lantern may be swung vertically on the horizontal axis provided by the studs I5 so that the light rays may be directed toward and upon parts of an engine, car or machine that is being' inspected or worked upon. When the body is shifted into diiferent angular positions, it is retained in such positions by the friction washers IB that are pressed against the loops I2 by thirty-five degrees with respect to the `axis of the forward portion 26 of said handle.

The lower end of the intermediate portion 21 of the handle terminates a short distance rearwardly from the upper rearside of body I3 and depending from the lower rear end of the inter mediate portion 21 is the rear lower end portion 28 of the hand-le which occupies a position to the rear of the upper portion of body I3 and being slightly inclined with respect to the axis of the body.

`Connecting the lower end of the ,portion 28 of the handle with the rear side of the lantern body I3 is a combined brace and support 29. The carrier for eXtra electric lamps of the size used in the lantern comprises a pair of shortitubular members 38 that are adapted to slide into the lower portion 28 of the handle and said members 30 are connected on one side by a strip 3| of thin'metal and which is curved in horizontal section. Secured to the inner face of the strip 3| are substantially U-shaped resilient clips 32, each of which is adapted to receive and hold the shank portion of an electric lamp.

` 'Ihe lower one of the tubular members 30 carries a pin 33 that is adapted to enter a slot 34 that is formed in the inner face of the lower portion 28 of the handle and said slot having at its upper end a lateral extension 35 that receives the pin 33 when the lamp carrier has` been inserted to its limit of movement into the lower portion 2B of the handle and said carrier is rotated a short distance.

Thus the lamp carrier is releasably positioned in the lower portion 28 of the handle.

Carried by the upper one of the tubular members 30 is a short expansive coil spring 36 which, when the carrier is inserted in the handle, bears against a partition 31 that is arranged in the upper end of the handle portion .28. WhenV the carrier is inserted in the handle, spring 36 is compressed as illustrated in Fig. 2 and when the lower end of the carrier is released, the spring acts to force the carrier partially downward Vthrough the handle.

It will be noted that the handle of my improved lantern has three portions of different angularity the action of the split resilient washers Ia.

To focus the rays from the electric lamp, the housing I9 is rotated on the tube I1 and the engagement of stud 24 in the groove I.8,will move the housing carrying the lens 22 toward` or away from the lamp.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an electric hand lantern that is .relatively simplein construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended. v

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved electric hand lantern, mayv be made and substituted for thoseherein shown and described, without departing from the spiritof my invention, the scope of which is set forthr in the appended claims. r a

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric hand lantern, a lantern body mounted for swinging movement on a horizontal axis, a tubular handle mounted upon and posi'- tioned above the upper and rear portions of said lantern body, said handle having a tubular,` lower rear end portion, a lamp vbulb carrier removably positioned in the tubular rear portion of saidhanf dle and a closure cap on ,the lower end ofthe carrier.

2. In an electric hand lantern, thecombination with a frame and a lantern body' mounted-for swinging movement on a horizontal axis fin said frame, said axis being disposed Aintermediate the ends of said lantern body, of a housing onthe front of said lantern body, a lamp and reflector arranged within said housing for directinglight JOHN C. ivlovrtGAN.Y 

